Tiny Lights
by mandaree1
Summary: Lucy has some concerns about romance. Luna just wanted a smoke break.


**Disclaimer: I don't own The Loud House!**

 **Title: Tiny Lights**

 **Summary: Lucy has some concerns about romance. Luna just wanted a smoke break.**

 **...**

"You're not supposed to be doing that."

Luna jumps with a shrill cry, almost falling off the back porch. Her cigarette rolls to the grass, embers glowing just a bit brighter, as if recognizing it had new things to char, but before it can cause any real risk to the grass she stomps it out with her boot. "Jeez, Lucy. Don't sneak up on a smoker like that. I could've choked."

Lucy doesn't apologize. She never does. She sits her petite form on the top step, hands on her lap. "That stuff gives you cancer. Mom and Dad would flip."

The brown-haired girl leaned back, scowling. Her draping arms brushed against Lucy's shoes. "Honestly, smoking is probably the most legal of the stupid stuff I've done. Like. In terms of years 'til it's legal for me."

"But do _they_ know that?"

"They know some of it, yeah."

"Oh."

They fall silent. Luna retrieves the dead cigarette and stows it away in her pocket, making a mental note to toss the evidence away at a later date. Lucy's nose twitches at the smell, but she doesn't bring it up out loud. "I wanted to talk to you. About romance stuff."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "It's, like, two in the morning, dude."

Lucy shrugged. "I knew you were awake." She tilts her head towards her slightly, but it's too dark to get a proper read on what little of her face is visible. "Can I see your pack?"

"That's a neg, dude. I ain't givin' my little sister smokes."

"I don't want to smoke. I just want to look."

Luna narrows her eyes, but ultimately pulls out a brand so cheap it's not really a brand. It's more of a gas station slot filler. She reluctantly holds them out. "These are Chunks'. Don't take any, or I'll have heck to pay for it."

Lucy tugs one out and rolls it between her fingertips, curious. She holds it up to the streetlight. "It's weird to think something so small can kill you."

"You tryin' to rub it in, or..."

"Do you do this often?"

Luna shakes her head. "Only when I'm super stressed."

"Oh. Are you too stressed for romantic advice?"

"I mean, I'm fifteen. I dunno what kind of advice you think I can give."

Lucy glances around a second, like she expects a vampire to come sneaking out of the shadows to listen in on them. Maybe she does. Luna isn't entirely sure if Lucy believes in vampires or not. Ghosts, yes, but she's never pushed all that hard on blood-suckers. She just likes how spooky they are. The girl scooted a bit closer. "I know you won't judge," she murmurs lowly. "Since you're... you know."

"Queer?"

"I mean, that's one term for it."

Luna glances down at her hands, wishing she had a guitar to strum. Or maybe just one of her picks. She'd honestly thought this would be a quick smoke break, burdened by upcoming finals and Lori moving out soon. Not romantic advice and anti-smoking PSAs. "I never really bothered to look much deeper, y'know? I'll figure it out as time goes on. For now, Luna Loud is down to be queer."

"I don't feel comfortable using that word. I'm sorry."

"Then don't, dude. It won't hurt my feelings." A headache bit at the edges of her eyes. Luna didn't know if it was the stress, or the sudden interruption, or both. Whatever it was, it was annoying.

Lucy tilted slightly, resting her head on Luna's shoulder. "What's it called when you like romance, but don't wanna be in a relationship?"

Luna regarded her a second. The girl seemed dead serious. "I think it's called bein' eight, Luce."

"But, like, as a thing. That can be a thing, right?"

"I don't see why it _couldn't_ be a thing. Anything can be a thing."

"Is it _okay_ that that's a thing?"

"Sure. I don't see why not. We all got our own vibes." Luna yawned, unintentionally exhaling what little smoke still lingered in her throat. "You gonna tell me what prompted this, or nah?"

Lucy scowled. "There were kids in my class. Talking about crushes. It got me curious, is all. Did _you_ start having crushes at my age?"

"Sort of? I guess?" Luna frowned thoughtfully. "I started to notice people around then, more or less. I dunno if it counted as crushing on them."

"But what if I never get crushes?"

"Then you don't get crushes. To each their own, dude."

She pulled her knees to her chest, setting her chin on top of them. "But... aren't I supposed to?"

"No?" Luna replied, fingers itching towards the pack. Lucy handed them over. She slipped them back into her pockets, joining their burnt brethren. "Look. Did ya' really think all of us Loud sibs were gonna get married one day?"

Lucy wiggled a hand in a so-so manner. "Lori and Leni. Lola, for the cash. Lisa says she's married to science, so I guess that counts." She hesitated. "It just feels like everyone expects everyone else to grow up and fall in love with someone."

"They kinda do," Luna admitted, shrugging it off. "But life don't work that way. Sometimes, it's more than one someone. Sometimes, it's no someone at all, and that's okay too. Sometimes, you marry your friend to help them stay in the States. Sometimes, you marry your friend for the tax benefits. Sometimes, you think marriage is a stupid social construct of exclusivity and vow to never engage in it. You got all these options and more, in this grand river called life."

"That's deep."

She nodded soulfully. "Fo shizzle." She reached out to ruffle the younger girl's hair. "You just do you, dude. Maybe you'll fall in love one day, maybe you won't. It's all good."

Luna thought she spotted a smile on Lucy's face as she stood up, quickly sliding back down into frown. "Well, I should probably get back before Lynn misses me. She's not very good at covering for me."

"You have a special aura, Loose Change. Hard to hide it when it's gone."

"You gonna stay out here?"

"Yeah, I think so. My brain isn't shutting off tonight." Luna retrieved her cigarettes from her pocket. She hadn't been lying, per say, when she'd labelled them as Chunks', but Chunk had gifted them to her in return for smuggling some hard lemonade into a pizza party. "Tests are killer on my rebellious spirit, yo."

Lucy vaguely nods, vanishing with the shadows like she always does. Luna lights up, leans back, and waits for the stick to run thin, a tiny speck of orange-red light in the lukewarm darkness of suburbia.

 **Author's Note: I'd just like to tell everyone that I wrote this after not sleeping for twenty-four hours and marathoning most of the two seasons. No need for concern- it was just one of those nights. We all gotta let the tech drain completely before we charge it from time to time. It was kinda like that. With that in mind, I can't accurately decide if I'll like this or hate it in the morning, but I'm sure morning me will be more than happy to indulge sleepy me after The Sleepening.**

 **This came entirely out of left field, by the way. Especially the smoking bit? Which I included? Because why not, I guess?**

 **-Mandaree1**

 **P.S.. Morning me here. This came out better than I expected! You did good, sleepy me. You did good.**


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